Generally every person is told to focus on  career goal. Generally learning something not related to  career path is considered as a waste of time. All the motivational speakers tells people to focus on the dream. In this article, i will try to highlight some issues which you might never heard of.

How society sets the perfect or ideal career?

What if you were  born 100 years ago? It high possibility that you were a farmer . Possessing large field used to be a great success, and people used to bless their kids to possess large field. Except for someone who is involved in agriculture, this trend has become already obsolete. Now, society demands a good academic degrees and good job. Although there are many entrepreneurs, who are having a huge success in their field, still many elderly people do not regard the idea of having business as a good idea. Instead they hope, their kids will get a good grades and become doctor, engineers or managers.

Ive already discussed about the success in agricultural society. At that time knowledge used to be so simple and people could easily grasp everything. Later on, after the advent of scientific research and activities, learning became more complex and demanding rigorous studies. So, people with right education used to get prestigious job. And a society, with many illiterate peoples started to have an idea that education is everything.

Still, education is important but not as much as people believe. Instead there are many emerging field which are attracting most of the kids, but are not included in education system. It is because the education system is developed by older generations whereas newer generations seek out for new horizons. As, Ive given two examples already, older generations believe in old ideas, which may never work in new ages.

Why old ideas do not work

Things used to be normal till last year. But , 2020 sets new standards for everything. After the corona pandemic, the pattern of our working has been changed. Almost all offices has generated the idea of working from home, which used to be considered as a bad idea till last year. As a teacher, I can see the well experienced and better teachers, are having troubles to conduct online classes whereas younger teachers are conducting the class effectively.This proves the idea of focusing on a particular career is a bad idea.  Few years ago, a teacher who is expert in subject and learning new pedagogical skills could be a great teacher, but now they must have a technical skills too. But who knows, what the future will bring and what will be the demand of it. So, it will be a wise decision to learn at least a basic skills of every emerging field, to get adapted to new environments.

Are you sure with your career goals?

I wanted to be a researcher or scientist. To pursue the dream, I used to read lots of books. Although, I was a physics student, I had read about evolution, psychology and philosophy too. Most of my friends used to suggest me not to read those books, but I had a passion of reading. Later on, I became teacher, Im happy that I read all those books, because it has helped me to understand the classroom more efficiently. 

Everyone does not get their dream career. When the real career goal could not be achieved, it will be better to  switch the career path. And, a person without understanding of basics if other field can be in a nightmare. But a person with idea if diverse field can easily cope with the situation.  

Also, everyone can not know their field of interest easily. Many motivational speakers suggest to follow the heart but sometimes the heart too lies. Sometimes people choose career goals only because of social influence. For example  many kids  wants to be a doctor. It is because, they have seen the magnetic personality of doctors in society. 

Lets think two kids A and B. Both wanted to be a doctor, but they lack the keenness needed to be a doctor. Kid A, always focuses on his study but B engage himself in music in leisure time. After a while B started to enjoy music more and more and started to compose , and became successful. He failed entrance exam, but he find his knack in music but Kid A who always kept himself focused in study, after failing in entrance, will find himself in an abyss. 

Only few people find their career path quickly, but for majority of people, it may take many years to reveal it. So, it will be wise to engage in every field whenever possible to know where the heart takes.

And finally 

We are in a complex world now. Sometimes it is  not sufficient to be expert of only one field. Modern society demands people who are jack of all field and master of some. After Covid19 we had seen many teachers who lacks technological ideas are being outdated. A taxi driver who can use some mobile app easily can earn more than other taxi drivers. People generally those cinema hall who offer online booking system. So, who knows, what will the demand of future? May be a doctor who can design instruments like engineers. Or  a restaurant owner, who can tell the plot of any book to his costumers. Or a teacher, who can drive school van himself, and take students to new new places everyday. Are you still wondering, why to engage in extra activities?




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With regards
Mahesh